Air flow guide structure for open top railway car

ABSTRACT

Air flow guide members at each end of the cargo carrying structure of an open top gondola type railway car, together with rounded transition or corner surfaces on the exterior of the car and aerodynamically shaped and oriented cross braces within the car serve to reduce aerodynamic drag on the car as it is moved. Additionally, to further enhance the energy efficiency of the car, the cargo carrying structure is formed predominately of a light weight weldable metal, such as an aluminum alloy, and the side support members are placed on the interior wall of each side to provide a smooth, minimized air flow resistant side surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Related Patents

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 596,968filed Apr. 5, 1984 entitled "LIGHT WEIGHT GONDOLA TYPE RAILWAY CAR";U.S. patent application Ser. No. 583,647 filed Feb. 27, 1984 entitled"AERODYNAMIC STRUCTURED RAILWAY CAR"; and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 597,125 filed Apr. 5, 1984 entitled "BOLSTER FOR RAILWAY CAR". Eachof these applications has the same assignee as this application.

2. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a light weight gondola type open top railwaycar having an aerodynamically configured structure to increase itsenergy efficiency during transit in each a loaded and unloadedcondition.

3. Description of the Prior Art

Gondola type open top railway cars are typically formed into trains andused to haul bulk cargoes, such as coal, grains or mining ores. Due tothe typical specialized nature of the cargo, gondola type cars are oftenused to form a train consisting of only gondola cars and the train,frequently comprised of one hundred or more gondola cars pulled by oneor more locomotives, hauls coal from a source, such as a Montana orWyoming mine, to a user, such as a utility in the Midwest. After beingunloaded, as by each car in the train being serially tipped upside downand dumped at a dumping station, the same train is pulled empty back tothe coal source to be loaded, as by "flood" loading while moving andthen repeats the trip. Due to the great frequency of the trips made anddistances traversed each trip, any energy saving, generally measured interms of reduced fuel consumption, which can be gained by making thecars easier to pull can be significant.

Conventional cars, for purposes of durability due to the rough serviceconditions they are subjected to, have generally been constructed ofsteel arranged to provide strength and durability and decreasedaerodynamic drag has generally not been a design criterion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A high sided, open topped gondola type railway car is constructed oflightweight materials, such as aluminum. The car body is designed to beaerodynamically efficient and is provided with members and surfaceswhich decrease the aerodynamic drag on the car and consequently reducethe energy required to move the car. Airfoil members attached to theupper end walls of the car are generally only efficient when the car isunladen or empty whereas the aerodynamic drag reducing body design isgenerally effective under all transit conditions of the car.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side elevation view of a railway car ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the railway car shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view of the railway car body shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the car end shown in FIG. 3 asindicated by the section line 4--4;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the end of the car shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the airfoil portion of theend of the car shown in FIG. 3 as indicated by the section line 6--6;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the car shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 7 as indicated by the sectionline 8--8;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a strut member shown in FIG. 8, asindicated by the section line 9--9;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a railway car having the features ofthis invention serially connected to other similar cars;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged side elevation view of two cars seriallyconnected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows, in a partially cutaway side elevation view, a gondola-typerailway car 2 having an aerodynamic body construction. FIG. 2 is a topplan view of the open top gondola-type car shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, car 2 is comprised of a cargo carryingstructure having a first side wall 3, a second side wall 4, a first orfront end wall 5 and a second or rear end wall 6. The side walls and endwalls are substantially rigidly affixed to each other at corners 7, 8, 9and 10.

A bottom closure means, such as a first bottom closure and shear platemember 11, a second bottom closure and shear plate member 12 and adepressed or lowered bottom closure member, generally indicated as 13,are sealingly engaged with the wall members to provide a cargo carryingstructure having a substantial cubic capacity.

Car 2 has a first stub center sill 14, and a second stub center sill 15.Connected to each stub center sill 14 and 15 is a conventional coupler,such as couplers 16 and 17, respectively, which enable each end of thecar to be connected to an adjacent car at each of its ends. Couplers 16and 17 will generally be of the type which enable the car to be tippedupside down for dumping while remaining coupled to a car at each end.

Car 2 has adjacent each end an internally constructed bolster, such asbolsters 18 and 19. Wheel truck assemblies, such as conventional truckassemblies 20 and 21 are engaged with a bolster and stub center sill torollingly support the cargo carrying structure.

To rigidify the sides of the car a plurality of vertically extendingside support members 22 are rigidly affixed, as by welding, to aninterior surface portion of each of the side walls of sides 3 and 4 ofcar 2. To further rigidify the cargo carrying structure of the car 2 aplurality of crossridge assemblies, such as assemblies 23, 24, 25 and 26are provided to rigidly engage the bottom closure portions 11, 12 and 13to sides 3 and 4.

Additionally a minor or mini crossridge assembly 27 is provided tofurther reinforce a portion of bottom closure portion 13 and alongitudinally extending web type reinforcing assembly 28 is preferablyprovided between crossridge assemblies 24 and 25, as best shown in FIG.2.

As best shown in FIG. 7 side 3 from which a top portion has been cutawayto improve clarity, car 2 has a wall member 29 formed of a smoothsurface plate or sheet, preferably formed of a lightweight material,such as an extruded weldable aluminum alloy.

Wall member plate 29 has an outer surface 30 and an inner surface 31.Rigidly attached, as by welding to inner surface 31, are the pluralityof vertically oriented side support members 22. Also attached to aportion of inner surface 31 of plate 29 are vertical crossridge supportposts, such as posts 32 and 33, for crossridge assemblies 23 and 24,repectively. This construction, as just described above, is typical ofeach side wall assembly 3 and side wall assembly 4 of car 2 in which asmooth, low air flow resistant surface, such as exterior surface 30 ofside plate 29 is exposed to air flowing along the car during movement ofthe car.

Adjacent end 5 of car 2 is a laterally inward offset side portion 34 ofside assembly 3. Offset side portion 34 is typical of the wallconstruction at each of the corners 7, 8, 9 and 10 of car 2. Each cornerwall portion is offset from a main wall assembly 3 or 4 to provide alocation for a plurality of ladder rungs, such as ladder rung 35, toprevent the ladder rung from extending out beyond exterior surface 30 ofplate 29 of wall 3. The maximum distance between the exterior surfacesof main walls 3 and 4, i.e., the overall width, of car 2, is limited byrailroad industry standards. As shown in FIG. 7, offset wall portion 34is comprised of a plate member having a smooth outer or exterior surface36, a laterally inwardly curved vertically extending portion 37 and asecond terminal end portion 38 which is rigidly engaged, such as bywelding, to a vertically extending bolster post 39 having an exteriorcurved surface portion 40 which forms an airflow efficient transitionalconfiguration between surface 36 of wall portion 34 and surface 30 ofplate 29 of wall assembly 3.

The offset wall portion at each corner of the car 2 is substantially thesame as just described for offset wall 34 except some offset walls mayhave more ladder rungs spaced along it than others, depending on whetherthe rungs are for purposes of a train crewman standing on the rungs orfor purposes of climbing to the top of the car to visually inspect theinterior of the cargo structure of the cars.

Referring now to FIG. 8 in which the crossridge assembly 24 of FIG. 7 isshown, crossridge assembly 24 is comprised of crossridge vertical sidepost 33, a second crossridge vertical side post 41 affixed to sideassembly 4, a substantially horizontal crossridge top chord member 42which extends between a lower portion of each vertical posts 33 and 41and a pair of diagonally extending support struts 43, each of which arerigidly engaged with member 42 adjacent a lower end portion 44. Eachstrut 43 diverges and extends vertically upwardly from its attachment tomember 42 to have a second end portion 45 rigidly engaged to an inwardfacing surface of a vertical crossridge post 33 or 41 by being rigidlyaffixed to connective means, such as plates 46 which are welded, orotherwise rigidly engaged, with one of the posts 33 or 41.

As best shown in FIG. 9, each of the diagonal struts 43 has anelliptical cross section in which the major axis of each strut ispositioned to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of car2. Having each of the two struts in each of the four crossridgeassemblies 23, 24, 25 and 26 oriented to present a smooth minimumsurface profile to air flow through car 2 in an unloaded positionpresents another significant decrease in aerodynamic drag of the car 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 which show, respectively, an enlargedend, side cross section and top view of end 5 of car 2, end 5 iscomprised of a vertically extending plate member 50 having a pluralityof horizontally extending support members 51 affixed to its exteriorsurface 52. At a lower portion adjacent a bottom closure plate a curvedconnective member 53, is rigidly affixed to each a floor closure memberand shear plate, such as member 11 and plate 50 of end wall 5. As shownin FIG. 4, the terminal end 54 of curved terminal portion 37 of theoffset side wall is substantially coterminus with the exterior-mostportions 54' of the end wall support member 51.

Affixed to the upper end portion or top portion of end wall 5 is an airflow guide means as airfoil assembly 55. Airfoil assembly 55 iscomprised of an uppermost airfoil surface member having a first convexcurved portion 56, a second convex curved portion 57 and a connectiveportion 58. The airfoil member formed by the curved portions has anexterior surface 59 and an interior surface 60.

The airfoil member is rigidly connected to an end, such as end wall 5,of car 2 by appropriate means, such as vertically upward extendingmember 61 which is welded at a lower end portion 62 to plate 52 of endwall 5 and at an upper end 63 to a connective member, such as angledaluminum member 64 which is rigidly attached, such as by welding to aportion of the interior surface 60 of the airfoil member.

Interior of the cargo carrying structure of car 2 a non-retaining cargomeans, such as members 65 and 66, connects an end portion 67 of curvedportion 56 to an interior surface 68 of plate 5, as best shown in FIG.4.

Member 65 is comprised of a first substantially horizontal member 69, asloping connective member 70 and a second horizontal member 71. Member66 is rigidly engaged to and extends between sloped member 70 andsurface 68 of plate 50 whereby members 66 and 67 serve to rigidly engagethe airfoil with the end wall 5 and, because members 66 and 67 extendthe width of the interior of the car, prevent cargo, such as coal, frombecoming lodged beneath the airfoil.

Airfoil interior support means, such as support plates 72, are rigidlyaffixed to portions of interior surface 60 of the airfoil and to aportion of end wall 5 to further secure the airfoil to the car andrigidify the shape of the airfoil.

A pair of side wall top chord members 73 and 74, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5and 8 are attached along the top of side walls 3 and 4, respectively,and extend along and are rigidly engaged with each side of the airfoilto further rigidly attach the airfoil assembly to the car 2.

An airfoil assembly 55, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is placed on each endwall 5 and 6 of car 2, the airfoils are positioned substantially asmirror images of each other and, as the airflow features aresubstantially identical at each end 5 and 6 of the car and at all thebolster posts 39, the car may be pulled in either direction withsubstantially the same air flow characteristics.

All the aerodynamic drag-reducing curved surfaces of this invention aredesigned to cause the air flowing over these surfaces to flow, or tendto flow, conformingly or non-separatingly substantially along thesurface of the curve in a substantially smooth, or non-turbulent, mannerto maintain or increase lip suction to reduce aerodynamic drag or, undersome condition, provide a net force which induces the car in thedirection of travel. FIG. 10 shows in a side elevation view a pluralityof cars 2 serially connected to each other and FIG. 11 is a top planview of FIG. 10. Thus arranged, such a plurality of cars couplinglyengaged and connected to a force means, such as locomotive, form a cargocarrying unit made up of a plurality of interacting modules or cars.

Referring to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, flow arrows are used to indicate thetypical flow of air with respect to cars 2 as the cars are pulled in thedirection of travel T indicated at a constant speed along asubstantially horizontal railway track. References to front and rear orforward and rearward should not be construed as limitations, but merelyas terms to show or explain directions of movements. As shown in FIG.10, the air typically flows over the airfoil assembly designated 55amounted on the rear end wall 6 of one car 2a and flows over the airfoilassembly designated 55b affixed to the upper portion of what serves asthe front end wall 5 of the adjacent car 2b in the indicated directionof travel T. The air flow thus typically descends downwardly into theempty cargo space of the car and flows through the cargo space aroundand over the elliptical, diagonal struts (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 8 and 9)and impinges on the interior surface of the rear end wall 6 which has anairfoil assembly designated 55c (see FIG. 10) affixed to its topportion. The impinging air forms a stagnation point or area on the bluffback or rear wall 6 of said adjacent car and attempts to radiateoutwardly from this point or area. However, due to the bottom closure,side walls 3 or 4 and end wall 6 the air is forced to flow upward overthe air flow and cargo funnelling connection means, designated 65 and 66on FIG. 4, and over the leading edge surface and connective surfaces ofthe airfoil assembly or member 55c. At this point some of the air flowwill separate from the surface of the airfoil assembly and flow to thenext, or leading airfoil 55d of the next car 2c. However, some of theair, as best shown by the lower flow arrow between the cars in FIG. 12,will conformingly or non-separately flow along the trailing or secondconvex curved portion 57c of the airfoil assembly 55c and flowdownwardly between the cars 2b and 2c where at least portion of it willcontact what is now, for airfoil assembly 55d, the leading or secondconvex curved portion 57d, and conformingly or non-separatingly flowover and along the top surface of airfoil assembly 55d and commencedescending into the cargo space to repeat the cycle of flow at the nextend wall. To be effective at reasonable forward velocities or speeds,such as above 15 mph., or second convex curved portions 57c and 57dshould be of a size at least comparable to an arc of a circle having a6-inch radius and the first convex curved portions 56c and 56d (see FIG.12) should be comparable to an arc of a circle having a radius of atleast 3 inches. The minimum dimensions are provided as indicative as thecurve 56 of airfoil is, as best shown in FIG. 6, not a regular arc of acircle, but rather a multi-radius or developed curve.

For purposes of illustration only, one preferred embodiment of assembly55 has a dimension along member 61 between member 69 and that portion ofinterior surface 60 to which member 63 is affixed of about 14 inches.Additionally the leading edge curve 56 at its furthest point away frommember 61 is about 14 inches along a line substantially parallel tomember 69. The dimension between member 61 and the surface of leadingedge 56 along a line substantially parallel to member 69 at a pointsubstantially 7 inches above member 69 is about 11.7 inches. The surfaceof trailing edge 57 is, at its furthest point from member 61, about 17inches and is comprised of an arc of a circle having a radius of about5.8 inches with the upper portion smoothly merging with transitionsurface 58.

In the top plan view of FIG. 11 air flow indicating arrows are used toindicate the typical flow of a majority of the air with respect to thesides of the cars when they are serially arranged as shown. As indicatedby the arrows the air tends to flow smoothly, or non-turbulently, alongthe sides of the cars, flow conformingly along the curved surfaces ofthe bolster posts, along the offset side wall where a portion of the airflows to the offset side wall of the next car and some of the air, notindicated by flow arrows, will undoubtedly flow along the trailing curveof the side wall and impinge on various portions of the exterior surfaceof the next end wall. Here again, as with the interior surface of a backend wall, the air will form a stagnation point or area. However, due tothe absence of the side walls and bottom closure, some of the air willradiate laterally outward and flow over the vertically extending convexcurved surface connecting the end wall to each of the side walls, someof the air will flow upward and along the convex curved surface of theairfoil member and some will flow downward and over the convex curvedsurface 53 connecting the lower portion of the end wall to the bottomclosure. Due to the sizes of these convex curved surfaces, all being atleast as great an arc of a circle having a radius of 3 inches, the airwill conformingly or non-separatingly flow onto the adjacent smoothsurfaces, particularly the smooth exterior surfaces of the side walls,to reduce the turbulence which increases aerodynamic drag.

Generally speaking, surfaces having curves of less than 3 inches inradius are ineffective in reducing aerodynamic drag at the velocities orspeeds at which railway cars of this type travel.

What is claimed is:
 1. A railway car having a cargo carrying structurehaving a bottom closure structure and a pair of side walls and forwardand rearward end walls engaged with and extending upwardly from saidbottom closure structure for forming an open top space for containingcargo and means for guiding air flow being engaged with an upper portionof said forward end wall for guiding air flow through said space forreducing aerodynamic drag on said car, andsaid means for guiding airflow including forwardly extending means extending forwardly of theforward end wall for guiding air flow upward over the forward end wallwhen the railway car is moved in a forwardly direction and rearwardlyextending means extending rearwardly of the forward wall for guiding airflow downward into the cargo space rearward of the forward end wall whenthe railway car is moved in a forwardly direction whereby turbulence andresulting aerodynamic drag created by the forward wall are reduced, andsaid rearwardly extending means for guiding airflow downward into thecargo space being adapted to guide air flow upward over the forward endwall when the railway car is moved in a rearward direction for reducingaerodynamic drag resisting movement in the rearward direction.
 2. Theinvention as defined in claim 1 together with a means for guiding airflow engaged with an upper portion of said rearward end wall for guidingair flow over the rearward end wall during forward and rearwardmovements of the car for reducing aerodynamic drag akin to that affordedby the first mentioned means for guiding air flow.
 3. The invention asdefined in claim 1 in which said rearwardly extending means has atrailing edge portion facing toward said rearward end wall.
 4. Theinvention as defined in claim 1 in which said forwardly extending meansis comprised of a convex curved leading edge portion facing forwardly,and said means for guiding air flow including an intermediate air flowguiding portion connected with said leading edge portion and extendingrearwardly and generally horizontally therefrom and said rearwardlyextending means comprising a trailing edge portion connected with saidintermediate air flow guiding portion distal from said leading edgeportion.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 together with cargo flowand air flow guiding means engaged with said rearwardly extending meansand an inner portion of said forward end wall for preventing cargocontained in said space from being trapped in said space by said portionof said air flow guiding means.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 1in which said means for guiding airflow is comprised of a structurehaving a substantially continuous generally convex curved outer portionextending longitudinally with respect to said car and said convexportion having a part being substantially perpendicular to said upperportion of said forward end wall.
 7. The invention according to claim 1andsaid forwardly extending means for guiding air flow comprising anairflow member connected with the upper end of the forward end wall andextending forwardly and downwardly therefrom in a convex curve.
 8. Theinvention according to claim 7 andsaid airflow member having a lowerterminal end being spaced from said end wall.
 9. The invention accordingto claim 7 andreinforcing means attached to said forward end wall andsaid airflow member for supporting said airflow member in said convexcurve.
 10. The invention according to claim 1 andsaid rearwardlyextending means for guiding air flow comprising a first airflow memberconnected with the upper end of the forward end wall and extendingrearwardly and downwardly therefrom in a convex curve.
 11. The inventionaccording to claim 10 anda cargo flow and air flow guiding memberconnected with a lower portion of said first airflow member and aportion of said forward end wall for preventing cargo contained in saidcargo space from being trapped in said space by said first airflowmember.
 12. The invention according to claim 10 andsaid forwardlyextending means for guiding air flow including a second airflow memberconnected with the first airflow member and reinforcing means connectedto the forward end wall and the first and second air flow members forsupporting said air flow guiding means.
 13. The invention according toclaim 1 andthe rearward end wall having further means for guiding airflow being substantially symmetrical to the first means for guiding airflow for reducing aerodynamic drag on the car during movement in aforward direction and during movement in a rearward direction.
 14. In arailway car assembly comprising forward and rearward railway carssupported for forward and rearward movement, said forward car having arearward end wall supported thereon and said rearward car having aforward end wall supported thereon, the upper portion of the rearwardend wall of the forward car being substantially at the same height asthe upper portion of the forward end wall of the rearward car, therearward end wall of the forward car and the forward end wall of therearward car defining an intervening space therebetween, the improvementcomprising:first air flow means engaging the upper portion of therearward end wall of the forward car for guiding air flow across saidintervening space between the cars when the railway car assembly isdrawn in a forwardly direction, and second air flow means engaging theupper portion of the forward end wall of the rearward car and beingadapted to guide the air flow directed across the intervening space bythe first air flow guiding means to pass substantially smoothly over theforward end wall of the rearward railway car for reducing the drag inthe railway car assembly during forward movement.
 15. The inventionaccording to claim 14 andeach of the air flow guiding means comprising aconvexly curved air flow member extending into said intervening spaceand downwardly from the respective end walls.
 16. A railway car having abottom portion and a forward end wall, a rearward end wall, and a pairof side walls extending upwardly from the bottom portion and definingtherewith an open top cargo space, the improvement comprising:forwardair flow guide means on the upper portion of the forward end wall andrearward air flow guide means on the upper portion of the rearward endwall; each of said air flow guide means having a convexly curved airfoilmember being connected with the upper portion of the end wall andextending curvingly downward and inward of the railway car therefromwhereby when the car is moved forwardly, the forward air flow guidemeans smoothly draws air flow downwardly into the cargo space and therearward air flow guide means smoothly guides air flow out of the spaceand over the rearward end wall, and when the car is moved rearwardly,the rearward air flow guide means smoothly draws air flow into the cargospace and the forward air flow guide means smoothly guides air flow outof the space and over the forward end wall, thereby reducing aerodynamicdrag of the car in forward and rearward movement.
 17. The inventionaccording to claim 16 andeach of the air flow guide means having anouter airfoil portion connected with the upper portion of the end walland extending outwardly of the railway car from the end wall, each ofsaid outer airfoil portions curving downwardly from the upper portionfor guiding air flow smoothly over the end wall with reduced turbulenceand aerodynamic drag.
 18. The invention according to claim 17 andeach ofthe airflow guide means including an air flow and cargo flow memberconnected with the airfoil member and the end wall for preventingentrappment of cargo in the cargo space.
 19. In a railway car having afloor member and a pair of spaced apart end walls forward and rearwardends and an end wall extending upwardly from the floor member, the endwalls and the floor member defining therebetween an open top cargospace, an air flow guide structure connected with the upper end of theend wall, the air flow guide structure comprising:a substantially flattop portion being connected to the upper end of the end wall and havinga forward end and a rearward end; a first airfoil portion connected tothe rearward end of the top portion and extending curvingly rearwardlyand downwardly therefrom for guiding air flow smoothly over the end wallwhen the car is moved in a rearward direction to reduce aerodynamic dragof the railway car; a second airfoil portion connected to the forwardend of the top portion and extending curvingly forward and downwardtherefrom for guiding air flow smoothly into the cargo space when thecar is moved in a rearward direction to reduce aerodynamic drag; saidsecond airfoil portion having a lower end spaced from the end wall; andan airflow and cargo guide member connected to the lower end of thesecond airfoil portion and to the end wall for guiding air flow smoothlyupwardly from the cargo space over the second airfoil portion and overthe end wall when the car is moved forwardly and for preventing cargobeing trapped between the second airfoil portion and the end wall. 20.The invention according to claim 18 andthe curve of the first airfoilportion being substantially an arc of a circle having a radius ofapproximately 3 inches.
 21. The invention according to claim 18 andthecurve of the second airfoil portion being substantially an arc of acircle having a radius of approximately 6 inches.
 22. The inventionaccording to claim 7 andsaid rearwardly extending means for guiding airflow comprising a further airflow member connected with the upper end ofthe forward end wall and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefromin a convex curve.
 23. The invention according to claim 22 andin whichsaid means for guiding airflow is comprised of a structure having asubstantially continuous generally convex curved outer portion extendinglongitudinally with respect to said car and said convex portion having apart being substantially perpendicular to said upper portion of saidforward end wall.